A rollover crash on Joel Boulevard and East 14th Street in Lehigh Acres Thursday evening ended with 13 hurt, including 11 children from the same family.
Two vehicles were involved in the crash. One of them was a van containing 11 kids, all of whom were transported to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida in stable condition.
An adult in the van was also transported.
Meanwhile, the driver of a sedan was trauma alerted to Gulf Coast Medical Center.
Even after seeing the heavily damaged vehicles and learning the details, neighbors said the crash wasn’t shocking.
In fact, unless changes come to Joel Boulevard in Lehigh Acres, neighbors said they expect crashes like this to keep happening.
“This is a bad road, to begin with, so it really doesn’t shock me with the accidents,” a Lehigh resident said.
Some neighbors had to come and see the aftermath for themselves after Joel Boulevard was blocked for hours.
“It’s sad,” a neighbor said. “It is. I’m hoping they’re all OK because God forbid it’s us and our family, anybody’s family. Don’t want to see it, especially with the kids.”
Neighbors are saying a prayer for the families involved in this crash after learning 11 children were inside the white van when it overturned.
Other neighbors living nearby said that they worry about their grandkids’ safety, especially living so close to a road where they see people speeding every day.
“You can stand out here and watch the traffic go by, and they’re doing anywhere from 60 to 100 miles an hour going down that road any time of the day,” a neighbor said.
Neighbors said that something needs to change on this road.
“They could put more lights over here,” said Maria Negron, a Lehigh Acres resident. “That would be better.”